The bedroom tax is already ruining Welsh communities

Just over a week since George Osborne declared as “unbelievable” the Welsh government’s opposition to many of his welfare reforms, the BBC has today unearthed evidence demonstrating the extent of the impact of the bedroom tax.

Just over a week since George Osborne declared as “unbelievable” the Welsh government’s opposition to many of his welfare reforms, the BBC has today unearthed evidence demonstrating the extent of the impact of the bedroom tax.

With ministers in Westminster now pledged to take away from housing benefit claimants 14 per cent of their benefits where they have a spare room in a social house and 25 per cent where they have two spare rooms, BBC Wales is reporting that its own inquiries have shown there are “70 times more tenants than smaller properties available” for those affected to move to.

Incompatible

The report, based on a survey of Welsh local authorities and compiled by BBC Wales economics correspondent Sarah Dickins, shows that across the country more than 28,000 people are in social housing that is considered under-occupied as a result of having spare rooms.

However, there are just under 400 one-bedroom homes to move to. In four council areas – Ceredigion, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Torfaen – there are, the report notes, “no one-bedroom houses available with local housing associations”.

Coupled with the 70,000 families or individuals currently on the social housing waiting list in Wales, the devastation being imposed on Wales by the bedroom tax is clear for all to see.

Whilst so much of what Westminster is trying to do is, in Cameron’s words, about injecting fairness into the system, the impact of the changes in Wales is now also increasingly being seen through the lenses of it breaking entire communities up.

Human cost

In its report, the BBC highlights the case of 43 year old Dennis Tranter who lives in a family home on the Cefn Golau estate near Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, where he lived with his mother and father and six brothers and sisters. His mother, however, passed away last year and he has two spare rooms which means he is expected to move house or face a 25 per cent cut to his housing benefit.

“It would be devastating [to move] because I’ve been here all my life basically I’ve built a home here and I don’t want to give it up. I know everyone and they’ve grown to know me.The neighbours are tidy and I get on with everyone up here.”

Picking up on the devastation being inflicted on Welsh Communities, John Puzey, director of Shelter Cymru, has said:

“We are talking about people here who have lived in these communities for a long time and I know housing managers are really worried that long-term residents and stable neighbourhoods will be forced to move on.

“That could change the nature quite drastically of those kind of neighbourhoods so I think there’s real concern about what this will mean in terms of neighbourhoods and community cohesion.”

Concurring with the sentiments, a spokesperson for the Welsh government has outlined the concerns of housing minister, Carl Sargeant, over the “devastating impact” it will have “on many poorer households across Wales.” The spokesperson continued:

“The Welsh government is committed to doing all it can to ensure that the change does the least possible damage to our communities. However, we are under no illusion. We know that people will suffer hardship and this will put even more pressure on public services that are already straining to cope due to the current financial climate.”

An assessment by the Department for Work and Pensions suggests that Wales will be hit proportionately the hardest by the bedroom tax with 46 per cent of social sector tenants likely to be affected by the tax.

Alec

God bless the Internet… endless opportunities to prove how nasty you are.

The claim that there’s a direct – or even a remotely comparable – match between the demand for larger properties and those who are committed the sin of profligacy in having one extra room is, how can I put this delicately?, absolute nonsense.

asteya

It 14% 0r 25% or the rent that is deducted from housing benefit – not 14 or 25% of benefits. its a bigger deduction than just a reduction of benefits for many people who only get help with their rent eg if working , but not the full rent paid

OldLb

In its report, the BBC highlights the case of 43 year old Dennis Tranter who lives in a family home on the Cefn Golau estate near Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, where he lived with his mother and father and six brothers and sisters. His mother, however, passed away last year and he has two spare rooms which means he is expected to move house or face a 25 per cent cut to his housing benefit.

===============

Did you read it?

He wants two spare bedrooms, and he wants us to pay for it.

OldLb

md-smith

if a single person is in a 2 bedroom house 14% for rent loss on £100 per week rent is £14 since benefit (JSA) is £72 the equal 20% TAX on JSA. and with no where to move too its homeless or gas / food you lose out on.
so turn this around you move out of the 2 bedroom and into a private bedsit then the government are willing too pay £130+ rent ?
did any of these Tory’s take BASIC MATHS. tax someone £14 to move then pay £30+ more in rent.
like this government is so proud to notice those of you that are working are paying for this! so does the worker want to pay £30+ more for someone’s rent per week

Alec

We’ve got lots of people here saying that they want to dip into other people’s pockets

What? Like the principle of general taxation which goes to roads and education or a health service which I might not necessarily use? Yes, you sound as if you’re trying to say something but don’t have the guts to admit to it.

so Dennis Tranter can have 2 spare bedrooms.

Yes, because this is all about Denis Tranter and no other case. It’s not about, for instance, the small change this policy is going to save (definitely not in comparison to private rent which makes up the bulk of HB, and which is unaffected) or the complete lack of alternative accomodation or that individuals like Denis Tranter have found themselves in such situations through no fault of their own (mother inconsiderately dying, presumably unemployed; or, if he is employed, either on depressed wages which employers might not be encouraged to increase because of liberal use of tax credits, i.e. “other people’s money”).

That must be why you’re homing in on single issues.

Perhaps its because they don’t want to pay.

No it’s because they feel they pay enough through taxes as it is, and the money is there as seen by the willingness of the Government to leave private landlords alone.

~alec

Nigel McCorkell

There’s a lot of hand wringing about this cruel policy, when will people start to call it out for what it is. The bedroom tax is designed to cause harm and nothing else, it is designed to break up established communities where they are lucky enough to still exist. It is an unnecessary and vindictive policy of which the results are bleeding obvious. I just wish people would start to criticise it from the perspective in which it was designed rather than pretend that the govt. are clueless or inept. They know exactly what they are doing to people

Nigel McCorkell

Just to add…the whole debate on benefits is completely bogus, a smokescreen to distract from the weaknesses in the economy and who caused this mess, and to stigmatize benefit claimants and to open up a debate which the Tories hope will lead to the end of a benefits system. This is ‘kill the poor’ as policy

Time to change the way we protest. Every week a letter with the words No Bedroom tax sent to No 10 and every day an email or fax to the appropriate number or address until they get the message. The details can be obtained from the government contact us webpage. http://www.number10.gov.uk/contact-us/
we can also take to the streets place notices in our windows.

This government should take note. Being sick or disabled is not a life choice. If more people were to request information under the freedom of information act They would soon see the lies that the public are told in order to remove or reduce benefits. I challenge the government to provide proof To the Public and News Papers of two generations of benefit claimants or even better still three generations. I would also challenge the Government to provide information on the number of families claiming benefit for 10 or more children or people getting more than 26K per year in benefits. I have seen the true figures. You are using the extreme minority of people to target everyone. Your policies are hitting the hard working tax payer by removing the safety net that they pay for through their taxes. Imagine working hard and finding yourself sick or disabled only to be told the support you thought you’d get was no longer there. This is a Government that would not entertain a mansion tax or close the loopholes for the real tax evaders and indirectly give the millionaires an extra £100,000 a year. This is the same Government that uses the hard working tax payers money to pay for second properties and claim unreasonable expenses for themselves.Millionaire Government members that claim benefits that they don’t really need. Why should the hard working tax payer pay for the expenses of millionaire MPs or help to subsidies their meals or lifestyle. I’m sure they could afford to pay for these things themselves. The bedroom tax is a discriminatory tax because it targets a particular group of vulnerable people. People wanting to move to avoid this are unable to do so because there are nowhere near enough properties to accommodate. You could wait years before the council finds you a suitable property only to find your situation changes months after moving. They are being forced to pay extra because of the governments inability to provide suitable accommodation. How can that be fair? What about the disabled person that uses the spare room to allow other family members and themselves to obtain some sleep or a break from the stress and demand of providing for their needs. I personally know of a pensioner in social housing with 5 bedrooms and he will not be asked to move or pay extra for having extra rooms. If the government makes any exclusion towards any group of people then they are discriminating against every one else. I read the other day that rapists and criminals in Northern Ireland will be exempt from paying. Now tell me is that fair? Ask yourselves what sacrifices has this Government or the greedy rich made. They have turned us against each other to take the attention away from them, the real people who got us into this mess. If we allow them to get away with this they will just do it again knowing that they can get away with it. We bailed out the rich to be treated like this. it’s unbelievable

Tim Kelly

If the ‘living’ benefits, like JSA and income support etc are calculated to be the very LEAST that people may survive on (and do not account for energy price rises already), then where exactly do these people find the money to top up their rent payment and now 9% council tax too ? Surely for most it is going to be from the very subsistance payment they are given. This effectively is a removal of life support akin to attempted assault/murder in essence. I don’t even see how this can be lawful and surely there is something under Human rights law that could be applied here…

For any taxpayer who thinks the unemployed suck their tax payments, first consider that the Government allowing private individuals to issue money via banking, this takes £8 to create £1 for society, thus allowing 8/9th of created wealth to be retained by banks and is the very reason we have income tax at all, to pay the interest on Government bonds that could instead have been treasury notes at no interest and a fraction of the cost as there would also be no capital to pay back either. So fundamentally the miserable payments to the less fortunate are a dot to a planet in term of cost to you… Currency is based on the backs of the people, let us be the ones to create it and then we thrive.

patricia cross

1st step to an appeal to your local council re the bedroom tax housing benefit decision.http://speye.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/bedroom-tax-council-naughty-step-bradford/#comments
STANDARD LETTER – asking for more information
Date
HB Address
Your HB reference number
Dear Sirs,
(insert your name, address and postcode here)
Please provide the following information in writing so that I can submit a formal HB appeal within the given time. Please advise when that date is by return.
A copy of the council’s written policy that includes a definition of a bedroom.
Failing that a copy of the councils informal or working definition of what is a bedroom for under occupation / bedroom tax purposes.
A copy of the council’s written policy which states precisely how the council makes a bedroom tax decision.
A copy of any letter or other correspondence you sent to my landlord (insert landlord name) asking for information about my property.
A copy of any correspondence you received back from my landlord in response to your request.
Does the council’s policy in making a bedroom tax decision differ from the guidance given by central government in the A4/2012 HB circular and/or the SI 3040 of 2012.
Yours faithfully
Etc

Guest

Just started checking how the so called Austerity measures will affect us here in Maesteg, the basic figures are for the general Bridgend area, however Maesteg as always will be hit hard, during the Thatcher years our town, a thriving market town was decimated by the closures of the mines, we have never recovered, shops stand empty, the community spirit is at an all time low and unemployment is a fact of life for many, Maesteg is a forgotten town, Bridgend council care very little for it, no traffic control, very few police and very little for youngsters to do, the figures below have been supplied by the financial times, why our own council or counsellors did not do this themselves is beyond me, we pay these people to look after our interests, they like the politicians work for us, what are they doing, what is Huw Irranca-Davies doing, are they speaking up, are they fighting for our rights, MPs want a huge pay rise on top of their expenses councillors get paid, for what! what are they doing for us and the greater community, this money that we as a community will lose, and please don’t think if you’re working that it won’t affect you, money lost is money not paid to the local economy, if you have a business how this will affect you, jobs lost business closing, bridgend council should be doing everything in its power to get our town thriving again, we need cuts yes, to business rates and rents, people want to work set up businesses but simply can’t afford to, enough of the rant let’s get to the figures.
Under Occupancy (Bedroom tax): Number of households affected 1600
Total annual Impact: £1 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £11

Household Benefit Cap: Number of households affected 80
Total annual Impact: £0
Annual impact per working age adult: £4

Non Dependant Deduction: Number of households affected 800
Total annual Impact: £1 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £10

Child Benefit: Number of households affected 17800
Total annual Impact: £6 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £67

Tax Credits: Number of households affected 11200
Total annual Impact: £9 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £102

Local Housing Allowance: Number of households affected 4000
Total annual Impact: £4 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £43

Disability Living Allowance: Number of individuals affected 1900
Total annual Impact: £6 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £63

Incapacity Benefits (ESA etc): Number of individuals affected 4900
Total annual Impact: £17 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £194

1% Uprating:
Total annual Impact: £9 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £106

Overall Impact:
Total annual Impact: £53 million
Annual impact per working age adult: £599

AREA IN CONTEXT
Political
Members) of Parliament who represents part or all of this local authority area: Huw Irranca-Davies (Lab), Madeleine Moon (Lab)
Economics
The Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot NUTS3 region had a gross disposable household income of £3.7bn in 2010. The total £115.4m in benefit changes the region faces amount to 3.08 per cent of the region’s disposable income, or approximately 1 year and 9 months of regional growth.
The Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot NUTS3 region also includes Neath Port Talbot.
Deprivation
In Bridgend, 28.2% of neighbourhoods are among the poorest 20% in Britain. The average for local authorities in Great Britain is 15.1%.
So great is reliance on social security in some areas that the changes, when fully implemented, will in effect eliminate 6.5 years of real household disposable income

The traditional industrial areas such as the Welsh Valleys, will be hard hit, particularly by tighter eligibility requirements for disability benefits.

elise moulton

this was my point too but its like talking to a wall when I speak to my local council. This hasnt been thought through at all. Makes me sick. Im living in my family home that I bought up my children in and am very established and happy and Im told if I dont pay then Im being evicted. I cant afford to pay. Im a mature student trying to get a degree, to better myself and Im still being kicked in the teeth. Im so worried, dont know where to turn 🙁

Elizabeth

They don’t Care as long as they get what they want. Cameron Osborne and Iain Duncan smith should hang their heads in shame yet they can afford to pay for Thatchers funeral strange with all these cuts yet there is Money for that

Janette ( Wigan )

I agree entirely. This Government knows exactly what it is doing and they deliberately ignore the fact that the majority of people claiming housing benefit are working rather than unemployed in favour of the pretense that the bedroom tax is a “necessary” evil to flush out scroungers.

Janette ( Wigan )

Absolutely Tim. i had this very discussion with my husband. It has to be illegal_ just has to be and It needs someone ( or a whole group of individuals) to challenge this it as such. The subsistence rule is there for a reason. Ignoring it surely constitutes deliberate harm? And what of the governments pledge to “eradicate the ‘Blight’ of child poverty?” How, exactly? By taxing it from the highly dubious “sufficiency” their parents are already failing to manage on? Oh great! That will do wonders for child poverty!! __ NOT!! and the sad thing is, this government knows it full well. They have no intention of eradicating child poverty__ they just spout trite platitudes to sound sincere _ but their action say so much more about their real intentions.

LB

1. His mother died over a year ago.
2. He has two – not one – spare bedrooms now.

So was his mother using 2 bedrooms? Nope.

Why are you not reading the article and now claiming he has one extra bedroom when it states there are two?

So what do you say to a large family on welfare? Tough isn’t it. They have to live in a confined space because Dennis wants two extra rooms, and he wants other people to pay for him to have the perk.

If you really feel strongly, why don’t you dip into your pocket and send him the cash? Sponsor a spare bedroom. At the same time, what are you going to do about those living in cramped conditions because you and Dennis are depriving them of a more suitable property?

Janette ( Wigan )

Hear, hear, Robert. Hear, hear. ( Or should that be “here, here”? ) Not sure; either way_ agreed, Robert. Absolutely right. This government will never do anything to harm “it’s own.” They will always deflect attention, instead onto the extreme minority, misrepresenting them as a majority so as to turn ordinary people against each other whilst they get on with lining their own pockets_ too frequently undetected.

Janette ( Wigan )

Amen md_smith, amen. It’s all smoke and mirrors_ smoke and mirrors and it’s all designed to misdirect; to deflect our attention from what their other hand is doing. Unfortunately, with this Government, we always need to be suspecting an ulterior motive.

where's my bennies?

Alec

Right, you’re in it only for spite. You know naff all about Tranter’s situation, or about the great many more people who will be adversely affected by this capricious legislation.

And you know even less about those people in “cramped conditions” you’re emoting about. Well, you do know – as you have been repeatedly told – that there is nothing near a direct relationship between them and the statistically small number enjoying the shameless luxury of an extra room.

In fact, not only will it nothing effect your so-called wish, it it more than likely will cost money because of the stated desire of the authorities for claimants to move into private accommodation which has no such restriction and which would cost more.

Not only are you an exceptionally nasty creature without an ounce of empathy, you also are thick.

benny

being disabled is a choice if the people on the benefit I meet in my local are anything to go by!

I have met scores of ‘disabled’ people who are no such thing. I know 1 very disabled person who works and has never claimed out of work benefits. he regards the ‘bad back brigade’ as the lowest of the low.

i knew one guy who couldnt work because he had aspergers type 2 which meant he couldnt psychologically work for a boss. didn’t stop him moonlighting at the local pub though

Alec

You don’t know that his mother died over a year ago. All the piece says she died last year, which could be as little as four months. You don’t know what his mother was doing with both rooms.

It could be that she required one for medical equipment… well, she was ill enough to die.

It could be that another family member just moved out. YOU DON’T KNOW.

You don’t know if Tranter just has lost his job, an misfortune which would have been compounded by his mother dying. And all compassion-free sniggerers like you can do is laugh.

You keep repeating the canard that there’s a direct relationship between the waiting lists and the relatively small number with extra rooms. Not only do large families – say, the size of Tranter’s six siblings – not really exist any more, but why are they on benefits? Why are the parents not out working?

You don’t have a leg to stand-on with this appeal.

You keep repeating the begged question about dipping hands into pockets. Not only is this principle covered by general taxation, why are you not offering direct help to those hard-pressed families? Why d’you expect others to?

Why are you not reading the article and now claiming he has one extra bedroom when it states there are two?

It was a typo. I’m not a stenographer, so will make errors. Not only do I simply not believe you’d be amenable to someone with one extra room, it wasn’t an explicitly phrased comment about his mother dying over a year ago.

Oh, you clearly haven’t read the articles:

He said it would be a struggle but he would give up £20 from his housing benefit if he had to.

Alec

LB

I’m pointing out that you don’t care about those living in cramped conditions because otherwise you would have brought it up.

You don’t like the fact that someone pointed out that you either misread, never read or deliberated lied. e.g. He’s got one extra bedroom where as he has too.

So come on, stump up the facts.

You said

“Yes, because this is all about Denis Tranter and no other case.”

Lets talk Tranter.

” that individuals like Denis Tranter have found themselves in such situations through no fault of their own”

Why is he on welfare? How many jobs has he applied for? Is anyone working in his house?

“His mother just died”? No its been some time, read the article. again.

The real problem is that people like Tranter want lots of other people’s money. The money they are receiving is people’s state pension contributions.

Now you take the short term view that he must have it and he must have it now, and bugger the consequences. Just like short termism in the city.

Now the state pensions debts come to 5,300 bn, and that’s hidden off the books. That’s too large to be paid with the other debts. Taxes only raise 550 bn, and spending is 700 bn plus.

The consequences are that for the 30% who would be destitute within a month if they were unemployed, is that they are completely reliant on the state. The debts are so large that the state won’t be able to pay them.

That’s evil. That’s the consequence of people like you demanding spare bedrooms.

Alec

I’m pointing out that you don’t care about those living in cramped conditions because otherwise you would have brought it up.

Liar.

Why is he on welfare? How many jobs has he applied for? Is anyone working in his house?

Too late to start asking probing questions. Far, far too late.

The basic, most elementary rule of argument is to make the most charitable assumption until proven otherwise. He might well be working. Or he might be seriously disabled. He might just have lost his job. He might have applied for scores of jobs.

YOU DON’T KNOW.

There are more than enough claimants who meet these criteria and more. You’ve had your fun with unverifiable counterfactuals. Try discussing the policy itself.

A
~alec

NO PRISON TAX

Should also point out that ALL pensioners are declined ” disabled” status so they cant get motobility unless & i quote ” you can time travel”!!!! YOU MUST APPLY FOR MOTOBILITY UP TO 30 YEARS B4 YOU ARE ILL!! can you believe the benefits agency say this? Cameron lied in his pre erection debate-carers are the backbone of society& should be paid a wage not a benefit( a massive 37 quid a week-npw cut to 34)

This is illegal under the human rights act -right to liberty & the enforced removal of money or monies fronm people without permission (given “permission” invalidates your council house agreement!!)

Tax =Income tax is from the sodding bible & i am NOT religious so i do not conform to the church of jesus christ or its enforced taxation without prior permission.The church is the biggest business on the planet-no product-it sells NOTHING ,no warehouse,no stock,yet they always need a new roof?!? yet the church in the last 10 years has had a whopping QUADRILLION POUNDS GO THOUGH THATS MORE THAN OIL & GAS COMBINED WORLDWIDE!7Tax is not needed or required there is enough money to provide for 42.771 million people in the UK.We have had a populus problem since churchill in 1953-cut the populus=cut the so called defecit that doesnt also exist-hopw can it? we ONLY trade with each other-how can you lose a bubble in a spirit level??? impossible !

benny

Alec

Fair enough. On the face of it, your desire is quite reasonable (although, if you were in a housing association property you’d be able to have an extra room; it’s not a work-thing). I guess my main problem with it is that the implementation – and not-so unvoiced desire – is cack-handed and intended to make people already living on a tight budget even more worse-off, with no opportunity to move into “suitable” accommodation at less cost.

See LB’s outright admission that he doesn’t care about the savings or, even, extra cost; just as long as Tranter et al. are reminded just how inconsequential they are. Funny how LB isn’t prepared to dip his hands into his pocket to cover the inevitable extra cost.

Chris Cooke

A Decent Home Standard should have at least one spare room as a minimum for stay-overs, friends, guests, storage and unexpected events and emergencies. The fact that the government this “decent homes standard” and allow no spare rooms at all shows they are just cynically trying to make people feel guilty for “under-occupying” their property – and anger-mongering other members of the public against those who can least defend themselves.

Sarah A

Tim Kelly you ask where the claimant finds the money to pay for the spare room reduction to rent. that is easy to answer. the 14% equals what is given in child benefit and income support for a under 5 year old to a family . In other words Maggie took the free school milk form the school childs dinner table in 1976 and Cameron came back in 2013 for the weeks shopping and clothes for the child on welfare. check it out and you will see i am right.

griff

Benny oh Benny where to start… nobody denies there are people who swing the lead. Can you honestly say the number of these scumbags who claim benefit out number genuine cases? So we should all be punished and have no sympathy and deserve all we get because of this minority. Simple answer to your frustration my friend….contact DWP and inform these scumbags. But first yourself. ly may I add the simple fact that because you don’t see them in a wheelchair or limbs missing…. should cancer sufferers carry a big banner “I have cancer and 6 months to live”? Same for those with serious mental health issues. The old cliche of because you don’t see a bandage does not mean they are not disabled/ill ! People like you make me vomit. As to your other comment about more rooms than you, obviously if you become ill I take it you shall moveto a single room bedsit and refuse any benefits you are offered due to unfairness. Good on you Mr martyr. Oh and of course you shant visit any public houses as you see it disabled should not be allowed thus. Do you know of any tradesman that do cash in hand jobs hence paying no tax? Nothing mentioned of this tax evasion ever. Hey why not go all the way and bring back workhouses for us disabled. Think before opening your mouth. Your free to inform anybody you feel warrants it to DWP may I remind you. Please excuse my grammar as unfortunately I have mental health problems adding to 3 fractures to my spine but I shall get this tattooed on my forehead to make it simpler for the like of

Grendlsmother

Many people have to move regularly for work,my kids have been in 3 different primary schools. Life isn’t about what is easy…its about what its necessary to achieve independence. We simply would grind to a halt as a country if people retained the status quo in an attempt to live/be/act how they had always acted. I lived in a tiny 2 bed flat when I was young with 4 siblings!

wayne mee

Simple just drop the housing benefit prices most house’s have been brought time and time agine if they gave £20 housing this would cover any maintainance for any home me for one not had any maintainance in 19 years so £20 x50 x 19 where’s that money gone